On January 7, 2017, Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Foreign Minister Beatrice Attalah of Madagascar in Antananarivo.

Wang Yi said that China has a tradition in diplomacy that Foreign Minister's first visit of every year usually takes him to Africa. It is a major feature of China's diplomacy, indicating that China always regards developing countries as an important cornerstone of its diplomacy and takes Africa as a priority of its diplomacy. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-Madagascar diplomatic relations. China and Madagascar have maintained mutual respect, mutual support and equal treatment for long. Both countries are good friends that have withstood the test and good partners that help each other. Choosing Madagascar as the first stop of my visit to Africa embodies that the Chinese side attaches great importance to developing its relationship with Madagascar.

Wang Yi noted that at the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), President Xi Jinping announced 10 major China-Africa cooperation plans that mainly aim to help Africa realize industrialization and agricultural modernization. Madagascar had direct link with the ancient Maritime Silk Road in history and is a natural extension of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The Chinese side suggests that the two sides should seize the two major opportunities of implementing the outcomes of the FOCAC Johannesburg Summit and promoting the "Belt and Road" international cooperation, and give full play to their complementary advantages. In accordance with the development needs of Madagascar, both sides should conduct mutually beneficial cooperation in "five major industries" including agriculture, fishery, the processing and manufacturing industry, tourism service and regional aviation, and build "three-aspect support" including infrastructure construction, human resource development as well as trade and investment facilitation at the same time. China is willing to help Madagascar transform its unique geographical and natural resource advantages into real development achievements, and help Madagascar accelerate its process of industrialization and agricultural modernization, so that Madagascar can ultimately achieve independent and sustainable development and benefit its people.

Beatrice Atallah expressed that Madagascar feels greatly honored that Foreign Minister Wang Yi chose Madagascar as the first stop of his Africa tour. Since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations 45 years ago, Madagascar and China have witnessed ever deepening exchanges and cooperation, supported each other in international affairs and developed a brotherly friendship. Madagascar fully agrees with China's proposal of the "five major industries" and "three-aspect support" as it has great development needs and potential in aforementioned industries and fields. Madagascar welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest and establish business here and hopes to push forward domestic development through cooperation with China. Supporting China's "Belt and Road" initiative, Madagascar wishes to participate in it at an early date, so as to gradually promote the country to integrate into the global economy, realize industrialization and agricultural modernization and bring tangible benefits to its people. Madagascar is honored to have China as a trustworthy partner. Both countries enjoy huge cooperation potential, great opportunities and a bright future.

The two Foreign Ministers also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern, and agreed to further enhance coordination and cooperation to better safeguard the common interests of both countries and developing countries. Following their talks, the two Foreign Ministers also jointly met the press.